the Russian embassy at Washington. The emperor was at that time celebrating, at some distance from St. Petersburg, a grand Russian national festival, and was reviewing the imperial army. Accompanied by Baron Stoeckle, Mr. Douglas proceeded in an imperial carriage and under an imperial escort to the neighborhood of the camp, where he left the carriage and proceeded on horseback towards the position on the field occupied by the emperor. At a proper distance he was met by officers of the imperial staff and conducted to the emperor. He was the only American present at that magnificent display of the power and wealth of the empire; representatives from all quarters of the world were present to witness one of the grandest festivals of Russia, graced by the presence of the imperial household and of all the most distinguished individuals of the empire, and yet into this scene of royal magnificence Mr. Douglas was admitted and welcomed with a frank cordiality by the emperor, in the same black suit of cloth in which, just before his departure, he had visited Franklin Pierce.

The rule asserted by Mr. Douglas and confirmed and approved by Count Nesselrode-the veteran diplomatist and most eminent statesman of Europe-is the true one. Americans are the only people who are required to put on a mas querade dress to obtain admission to the presence of the Queen of England. The rule that persons of all nationalities may be admitted in that costume in which they would be received by their own sovereign is observed toward all persons except citizens of the United States. They are excepted. An officer in the service of a petty prince of a German kingdom, if presented, can obtain audience in the same suit that he would appear in before his prince, but an American will be excluded unless he puts off the dress in which he was admitted to the table of the President of the United States, and puts on the tinseled toggery prescribed by authority.

Against this unjust discrimination between his countrymen and citizens of other nations Mr. Douglas protested, and preferred a total exclusion from the presence of royalty to a submission to any such degrading rule.

Mr. Douglas visited Sebastopol and all the scenes shortly after made historical by the war then gathering in Europe. He visited all the principal points on the continent, storing his mind with practical information concerning the commerce, laws,

and governments of the countries in which he sojourned, information which has since proved of great advantage to him.

His descriptions of what he saw in Europe, his conversations and interviews with the great and illustrious men whom he met during his trip, are of the most entertaining and instructive character. No one who has ever enjoyed an evening with him, when he discoursed of these things, has ever failed in expressing the delight and gratification afforded by Mr. Douglas' graphic delineations of men, and his charming pictures of scenes and events in Europe.

MR. DOUGLAS AND THE PRESIDENCY.

In 1848 the Democratic State Convention in Illinois unanimously recommended Mr. Douglas as a candidate for the presidency. He was then but thirty-five years of age, and had already attracted the attention of the nation by his abilities and great success as an orator. His services in Congress, during the four years he was a member of the House, and his one year's service in the Senate, had recommended him most strongly to a very large portion of the people of the country, as a man possessing more of the natural characteristics of Jacksonian power and Democracy than any other statesman.

Mr. Douglas, however, was a friend and supporter of General Cass. The doctrines declared in the celebrated Nicholson letter were doctrines of pure popular sovereignty. As in 1856, so in 1848, he preferred infinitely a platform embodying correct principles to any personal honors or distinctions. He and his friends were warm supporters of General Cass for the nomination.

The result of that convention is well known. The names of Buchanan, Woodbury, Calhoun, Dallas, Worth, and others were presented. The two-thirds rule was in force. On the first ballot Mr. Cass received 125 votes, Mr. Buchanan, 93, Mr. Woodbury, 58, and the other votes, making up the aggregate of 253, were scattered. Gen. Cass lacked 45 votes of having two-thirds, and two votes of a majority. On the second ballot he received 133, being a majority, but still less than twothirds. The friends of other candidates then seeing that the distinguished statesman of Michigan was the choice of a majority, after the third ballot, yielded to what was the expressed

wishes of a majority, and gave him on the 4th ballot the required two-thirds vote, and then nominated him by accla

mation.

In 1852 the Democracy of Illinois again recommended Mr. Douglas to the Democracy of the nation for the Presidency; other states did the same. The Convention met at Baltimore, and having adopted the two-thirds rule proceeded to a ballot. The following ballotings will exhibit the state of the vote during the protracted contest.

On the next ballot Gen. Pierce received 283 votes, and was then unanimously nominated. It will be seen that until the 49th ballot no candidate had received a majority of the Convention; had Mr. Buchanan, or Mr. Marcy, or Mr. Cass obtained a majority, the friends of the other candidates would undoubtedly have yielded their individual preferences, and given him the required two-thirds vote.

In 1856 the ever memorable Cincinnati Convention met in June. The two-thirds rule was again adopted. Mr. Douglas had been recommended by the conventions of several states, but as this was the first National Convention of the Democracy since the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, he was more solicitous for the adoption of a platform that would approve the principles of that measure than he was for the nomination. His name, however, was submitted to the Convention by his friends. There were but four names before the ConventionMessrs. Buchanan, Pierce, Douglas, and Cass. The whole number of votes was 296, of which 149 would be a majority, and 198 two-thirds. There were seventeen ballotings. On the first ballot Mr. Buchanan had 135, Mr. Pierce 122, Mr. Douglas 33, Mr. Cass 6. On the thirteenth ballot, Mr. Buchanan received 150 votes, being a majority, and the first time that a majority vote had been obtained by any one. Mr. Douglas was at Washington, and the result of the several ballotings was announced in that city as soon as made. The

Convention adjourned that day without making a nomination, and when it assembled next day, the 16th ballot was taken with the following result: Buchanan 168, Douglas 122, Cass 6. Mr. Buchanan lacked thirty of the required two-thirds vote. The Convention was at a "dead lock."

The eventful scene that took place can hardly be described in words. A majority of the delegates had expressed their choice; had recorded their wish for the nomination of Mr. Buchanan. It was true the two-thirds rule had been adopted, but that rule was never designed or intended to defeat the wishes of a majority when once clearly and unmistakably ascertained and declared. The vote of the states was announced and recorded. The choice of the majority was declared, and there were no questions asked whether that majority was made up of delegates from Democratic states, or from states hopelessly in the power of the opposition. It was regarded as the vote of the Democracy of the nation, a vote given by men in non-Democratic states as well as in Democratic states, with but one purpose and aim, and that was to nominate the man who in the estimation of the whole Democracy was the strongest candidate for the time. Mr. Buchanan's 168 votes on the sixteenth ballot were given for him as follows: from states that subsequently voted for him for President, 86; from states that voted for Frémont, 82. Mr. Douglas' 122 votes were given him from states that voted for Buchanan, 84; from states that voted for Frémont, 38. General Cass received the vote of California. A majority of the delegates representing the Democratic states voted against Mr. Buchanan on the sixteenth ballot; yet, he having a clear majority of the delegates from all the states, after the result of that ballot was announced, certain proceedings took place which are thus recorded in the official report of the action of the Convention:

"Mr. Preston, of Kentucky, said: Mr. President: As one of the friends of Mr. Douglas, I have become sufficiently satisfied, by the evidences presented here, that it is the wish of this Convention that James Buchanan should be the nominee for President of the United States. I believe that Judge Douglas himself, and the friends of Judge Douglas-and when I say this I speak with some degree of knowledge on the subject-I believe that the friends of Mr. Douglas will be among the first to come forward, and in a spirit of liberality put an end to the useless contest. I will now give way to the gentleman from Illinois, the friend of Mr. Douglas.

"During Mr. Preston's remarks there were loud expressions of dissatisfac tion and cries of 'No, no!'. 'Don't withdraw!' 'Don't withdraw.'

"Here W. A. Richardson, of Illinois, arose, and waving his hand, there was immediate and general silence. In a solemn and impressive manner that gentleman proceeded to address the Convention as follows:

"Mr. Richardson. Mr. President and gentlemen of the Convention: Before undertaking to advise any gentleman on this floor what he ought to do, I consider that I have a duty which I owe to my constituents, and which, since it is now imposed on me, I feel it is due to the Democratic party and friends of Stephen A. Douglas that I should discharge. Whatever may be the opinion of the gentlemen as to the contest, I am satisfied that I can not advance his interests or the interests of the common cause, or the principles of the Democratic party, by continuing him in this contest. I will, therefore, state that I have a dispatch from Judge Douglas, which I desire may be permitted to be read, and I shall then withdraw his name from before the Convention. I desire gentlemen, after that, to decide on what course they may deem it proper to pursue. (Tremendous applause—profound sensation.) "The dispatch was sent to the chair to be read, and is as follows:

"LETTER OF S. A. DOUGLAS TO W. A. RICHARDSON, OF ILLINOIS. "'WASHINGTON, June 4, 1856. "DEAR SIR: From the telegraphic reports in the newspapers, I fear that an embittered state of feeling is being engendered in the Convention, which may endanger the harmony and success of our party. I wish you and all my friends to bear in mind that I have a thousand fold more anxiety for the triumph of our principles than for my own personal elevation.

"If the withdrawal of my name will contribute to the harmony of our party or the success of our cause, I hope you will not hesitate to take the step. Especially it is my desire that the action of the Convention will embody and express the wishes, feelings and principles of the Democracy of the Republic; and hence, if Mr. Pierce or Mr. Buchanan, or any other statesman who is faithful to the great issue involved in the contest, shall receive a majority of the Convention, I earnestly hope that all my friends will unite in insuring him two-thirds, and then in making his nomination unanimous. Let no personal considerations disturb the harmony or endanger the triumph of our principles. S. A. DOUGLAS.

"To Hon. W. A. RICHARDSON, Burnett House, Cincinnati, Ohio.'

"The reading of this dispatch was interrupted by frequent and tremendous applause. It was some time before order could be restored. When the Convention had subsided into something like order, the president announced that they would proceed with the seventeenth ballot."

On the next, or seventeenth ballot, Mr. Buchanan was nominated unanimously. The friends of Mr. Douglas at once conceding the justice of the suggestions in his letter, that Mr. Buchanan having received the votes of a majority of the Convention ought to be given the required two-thirds.

On the 4th of January, 1860, the Democratic State Convention of Illinois, in consequence of the call of the National Convention at an earlier day than usual, met some months in advance of the ordinary period, to appoint delegates to Charleston. The Convention was large, harmonious, and included